Crescia al Formaggio (Pizza di Pasqua al Formaggio) is a savory Easter bread from the Marche and Umbria regions of central Italy.
This bread is best the day it is baked. To help liven it up a bit, toast the leftover slices and serve with butter or olive oil, salami, or other cured meats.
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water, 105-115 degrees F
1 tbsp sugar
298 grams (~2 1/4 cups) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 ounces (85 grams) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 ounces (85 grams) finely grated Pecorino
In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over water and sugar. Stir to combine and allow to sit until frothy, 5-10 minutes.
Mix all the other ingredients (you want a soft but not sticky dough) and knead for a 5-10 minutes.
Cover with damp towel and let it rest for a couple of hours (or until it doubles its size), preferably in a warm place (I put mine on top of a hot water radiator)
Knead a second time for 5 minutes.
Place in a greased high pan and let it rise again for 1 hour
Pre-heat oven to 375 F, lightly oil the top of the bread with olive oil and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Once done, the top should be golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let it rest in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully take the crescia out of the pan and let it cool on the rack.